Chapter Text
Wren knew he was different since… probably primary school. Well, maybe back then he didn't really know it, but he did understand that there was something wrong. Nobody ever really wanted to play with him - he had to basically beg to be involved in anything, and even then he wasn't always permitted to take part. Other kids seemed to be so naturally outgoing and confident, whilst he was pretty shy. To this day he wonders if that was the reason behind all that neglect; he wasn't rude or stupid and he really tried his best, but it must have meant nothing.
When he went to middle school, he mustered as much confidence as he could and tried to make some friends once again, but failed almost completely - he hung out with one girl who sat with him in most classes, but they weren't too close; they would talk pretty often, but just about some casual stuff and that was all. At the same time, he became an object of many stupid jokes…. He would get asked out or even just simply talked to as some kind of cruel mocking. Soon, after a few of those dumb jokes, he wasn't able to trust anyone. He started building walls around himself - he locked himself inside of a Castle in his head.
He gathered information about stuff he liked and hid it inside those walls. He had his favorite music, artists, movies and books with him. He didn't need anyone… or at least that's what he told himself. His parents thought so, too - in their opinion, all the kids were just jealous of his good grades.
Not that Wren believed it - but he did know that his parents didn't know how to help him so they made that up, told him not to worry and let themself feel a bit better. He doesn’t blame them though; he probably wouldn't know what to do if he was them, either.
Over the years, his interests got a little… more peculiar. He loved the Internet culture, creepypastas, horrors… all the creepy, weird stuff. Black metal, could rap… and love. Shit, the phenomenon of love was something he could never really understand.
It was weird, dumb… perhaps even clique. But he took interest in everything that connected with love, most likely because he never experienced it himself. It actually started all the way back in primary school - probably around the time he was 9 or 10. That's when ge started observing.
He was always really curious about people, their behavior… how they socialize and interact. He tried to do the same, but it never worked. But god, he did love just… admiring other people’s social skills.
So he admired how his parents treated each other, how love was shown in books, TV series or films. Then, he would watch how boys his age to pay more attention to girls and stuff like that. And he was jealous - he wanted to experience it as well.
But he never did. He went all the way from primary school to high school without anybody by his side. He only ever talked to people he met on the internet, and that was enough to keep him alive. Barely breathing, but still alive.
And then everything changed the first time of high school. He was sitting in the last class of the day, his face covered with his overgrown hair as he stared down onto his notebook. The chair beside him was empty, even though it was the last desk by the window. Perhaps everyone preferred to sit with someone they already knew and became acquaintances with… or maybe it was the fate deciding somehow.
A while into the lesson, a tall boy with black hair, glasses and rather dismissive attitude rushed into the classroom. Without a word, he threw his bag onto the floor next to Wren’s desk and sat down, immediately smiling. He smiled back awkwardly, but didn’t say a word.
“Yo, you good?” the dude asked quietly, still staring at him. He seemed genuinely… interested, for some reason. Ghost’s heart quickened, and his eyes widened in surprise.
“Yeah, uh, I-I’m fine, why…?”
“Oh, that’s cool. Sorry, you just… nevermind, actually. Not important. I’m Zane, by the way…” his smile even widened, whilst Wren felt almost unreal. He couldn’t comprehend what was happening at that moment.
“Wren, I… uh, nice to… meet you,” he replied, his hand grasping the pen he was holding a little tighter. He had been drawing Mothman, at this point just perfecting the art he began making during the first lesson.
“This sounds like a girls name… No hate though, I think it fits you… I mean, shit, that’s also not like…”
Ghost couldn’t help but giggle at the way he got all tangled up in his own words - at how awkward he was despite the confidence he barged into the class with. He found it absolutely endearing and so… natural.
“It’s okay, I know what you mean,” he reassured softly, watching the other one’s cheeks turn pinkish, likely from embarrassment. It helped him relax in a weird way. “Don’t worry, I… I get nervous a lot, too…”
”Whatcha drawing? Mothman?” he asked, immediately changing the topic. It was cute, at least in Wren’s opinion. For the first time someone not only seemed interested in him, but was also just as nervous as him. “You into horrors? Or like, just creepy shit in general?”
“Yeah, yeah, pretty much,” he admitted and looked back to his drawing. He was quite proud of it, a small smile appearing on his face as he glanced up at Zane. “That’s my favorite urban legend, to be honest...”
The soft beam on his face, the gentle way of speaking… it made Zane’s heart skip a bit. He never saw a person so purely beautiful. So… captivating.
“It’s my favorite, too…”
He was ready to dedicate his whole to the boy before his eyes that exact moment…
And god,
he did…